Food Security

Food Security

At more than 160 million people, the population of Nigeria is the largest in Africa and accounts for 47 percent of West Africa’s total population (World Bank 2012). Nigeria is also the biggest oil exporter in Africa, with the continent’s largest natural gas reserves. Nigeria’s oil wealth has helped it maintain relatively steady economic growth despite recent global financial downturns. The country’s GDP grew from 6 percent in 2008 to 8.4 percent in 2010 (World Bank 2012). Unemployment remains a significant problem, however, with an estimated 50 million youth unemployed.